Another Day in Paradise

There has been alot going on here in paradise at home.  When I first started blogging I thought it would be a great way to share and deal with the whole package of being a caregiver for an Alzheimers parent.   However I quickly realized that I wasn't comfortable with sharing too much info about Mom as I felt I might be violating her privacy and her dignity.  So I don't talk much about the gory details.

Recently I discovered a blog called Accepting Change. I was immediately attracted to the name first.  Then of course I read several postings and began to follow.  But the name struck a real chord with me.  I have never been great at accepting change.  I like my routines and I like to know what is on the horizon.  However in the last few years, that has gone right out the window.  My whole life has been in constant change.  I am getting better at rolling with the punches.  (But really, when is it enough?) Somedays I feel like Rocky in the movie where he got the crap beat out of him.

I have become an unwilling expert.  Lately I can boast to becoming an expert on every adult incontinence product on the market.  EVERY ONE !   I could do product reviews of what works, what doesn't work, and what REALLY doesn't work.   But I guess this is all part of accepting change.

I suppose that accepting change is a part of life.  We all change.  Everything changes every day - grass grows and flowers bloom.   I try to remind myself that change isn't bad, it is necessary.  I am changing. I have changed.  Change means I am growing and that is a good thing.

Unexpected blessings

This is not the post I had in mind for today.  However here it is.  I could never have imagined how this crazy world of blogging would impact me and the relationships that would develop.  I remember stressing for months trying to get the nerve to start a blog.  Pushing the publish button on that very first post was terrifying.  What would I say? Who will read it?  How much will I share?  What if no one reads it?  And probably a hundred other concerns. 

However, the last thing I considered was the multitude of positive things that would be introduced into my life.   I follow a variety of different types of blogs, including a few related to caregiving for Alzheimers. Sometimes you just make a connection you cannot explain.  One blog in particular sparked with me.  A daughter as primary caregiver to her Mom.  Her Mom reminded me of mine.  We shared experiences occasionally.  Maybe 3 or 4 emails a year but we seemed to be able to relate to each other's experiences.

Today I received an email letting me know her Mom passed away this weekend and she attached the obituary to the message.   As I was reading it I noticed my face was wet - a few tears rolling down my face.  Dorothy's fiesty nature reminded me of Mom, I realized I had developed a bit of an attachment to her.  And more than that, I was so taken back that in her daughter's fresh grief, she thought of me, a virtual stranger, thousands of miles away.

I guess the point of this post is that you just never know how you will impact other people.  Which post or line or comment will make a difference to someone.  Who will you make a connection with and why?  

Dorothy's daughter and I shared a common experience and we occasionally shared our thoughts and opinions. We understood each other's issues.  We asked each other the same questions.

Please say a little prayer for Dorothy's family tonight.

Easter Bunny Humor?

An Easter Bunny with a sense of humor?  But somehow when I woke up this morning to discover the blanket of white snow left behind, I was not amused.

I thought the Easter Bunny would leave me a pile of chocolate goodies - NOT a chore to shovel. 

When I was a little girl it was tradition to get a new skipping rope along with the other goodies.  I think I looked forward to the new skipping rope almost as much as the chocolate and candy eggs.  (Well, almost)  You could hardly wait to get home from Church and change out of your fancy Easter clothes so you could go outside and play with the neighbor kids.  That skipping rope would have been a big disappointment this year.

OK, enough weather whining.  I did get some chocolate.  The bunny now has no ears.  Now it looks like a gopher.  In fact, I picked away at junk food all day.  When it was finally time for the big easter dinner, I wasn't hungry.  Nobody was.  Sigh......what a waste of several hours of preparation.

These are the eggs Mom painted and dipped at Alzheimers Day Care this week.  They always find the cutest little crafts for them to complete.

Now  I am ready to reveal the little projects I was making from the scrap basket.  I did actually manage to hook a bit today, in between snacking.  They are small lavender sachet pillows.

I shared all your birthday greetings with Millie.  I think she was quite pleased!  She got lots of extra treats and loving yesterday.  Well, she gets lots of loving everyday.  I don't know if you have noticed, but she is kind of spoiled :)

I hope you  all had a lovely Easter weekend.  I still have one more day of vacation tomorrow.  Yippee!

What a difference a day makes.....

Well, this was a whole different kind of day.  Today is all about 2 mysteries.  At least I can say things are never dull around here. 

It all started out fine.  A nice normal day.  I had a meeting at work first thing in the morning.  For some unexplainable reason I left my cell phone on my desk when I went down the hall.  I always have my phone with me.  I still don't know why I didn't take it to my meeting.   When we finished and I got back to my desk, I saw my house number as a missed call and a voicemail.  Instead of wasting time checking the message I just dialed home. 

In an eerily calm voice, Auntie asks if I can run home for a minute.  ??  Yes, I reply - but why?   Her eerily calm voice threw me a bit because you may have picked up from some of my posts, she is a tad bit high strung!  She says "Your mother has fallen and I can't lift her up"    I didn't even ask any questions, just hung up and raced home.  She was on the floor between the bed and the closet.  But before you think she just fell out of bed - She was backwards!  We still can't figure it out.   I checked her from head to toe - twice.  Not a mark or bruise on her and not one tender spot.  We have no idea when it happened, as Auntie found her that way this morning.  And she wasn't trying to get to the bathroom as there were no "accidents".  It is a complete mystery but she seems fine.

Mystery #2 - The dog seems to be crazy too. I may need the services of a dog psychic.  Princess Millie spends every meal time, on her special mat beside me at the table.  (Yes she gets table treats - don't judge)  However, since yesterday she is now "scared" of her mat.  She will not go there no matter what I put on the mat.  Not-even-cheese.......so you know its serious.  She now goes and stands beside the stove and barks and whines.   I have picked her up and put her on the mat and she runs back to the stove.   I have switched the mat for a different one.  Nope - runs back to the stove.

What in the beejeebers is that about??  Seriously, I cannot take another bit of crazy in this house.   I took the afternoon off work.  I met two friends for coffee.   I added some "special" to the coffee.  (Again, don't judge)  There was a flask involved - not mine.  Yes, I have those kinds of friends.  (Thank God!  Lol)

I think I pulled a muscle in my back while lifting Mom.  The "special" coffee tasted good.  I think this may be in my future later tonight........I heard Grey Goose can act like a muscle relaxant. Don't judge.  Its been a mysterious day

Chivalry is alive and well

I don't usually share a lot of details here about Mom's condition but this story is too cute not to share.  Today was Adult Day Care day.  I mentioned this before - there is an old fella there who has a bit of a crush on Mom.  It is just so cute.  He is 91 years old and he is always smiling at her or trying to sit beside her.   Some of the staff laugh because if he sees someone else going towards the empty seat by her, he shuffles a little faster to get there ahead.    But alas, Mom just ignores him - totally.  But he never gives up.

This afternoon when I arrived to pick her up, he is naturally seated beside her.  Mom is naturally looking in the opposite direction. LOL     Mom can't dress herself anymore and sometimes getting her to put her coat on is a challenge.  She won't bend her arms the right ways etc.   So one of the staff and I are struggling to get her coat on and before I know it - He jumps up (well, as much as a 91 year old can jump up).  He wants to help her.     Awwwww, how flippin sweet is that.......  Chivalry is alive and well at Day Care. 

Once the coat is on and she is ready to go he is saying "Goodbye Dear. Have a nice week and I'll see you soon" .  And Mom won't even look at him and she just says "Yeah, Whatever" 

Oh my goodness, I had to turn my head away.  I thought I might pee my pants laughing.    

Christmas Blessings

We had a wonderful day full of so many Christmas blessings.   Starting last evening we hosted some friends after the church service.  Good friends, food and laughter - a great start.

By the time we went to bed we were about ready to drop.  Tired but a happy tired.

Santa  found all of us, even little Millie.

One of the greatest blessings of the day was that Mom was in a great mood.  There were even a few funny moments from her.  This is rare and was a lovely gift for me.   We had a morning visit from my cousin Mike (you know - the boy who killed Santa for me) and he brought a cake. 

I had Christmas Dinner ready at around 1 pm.  I cooked a 20 lb turkey and all the fixings.  Yes, I said 20 lbs - for the 3 of us.  Lol  But that means I get a couple of days off from cooking.  Mom ate a huge plate of food.  Another rare treat, as her appetite is not the best anymore.  She seemed to be on her best behavior for me today and I was so grateful.

I want to show you my most special Christmas present.  Two weeks ago when I picked up Mom at day care the supervisor handed me this package with instructions not to open until Christmas.

 
Despite being curious, I wanted to wait.  I knew this was going to be special.  Their project that week was to make something special for their loved ones.  I am blessed that the staff at Mom's program are caring enough to think of something like this.   What was held inside this little package ?

A simple little beaded bookmark.   A few beads on a simple white ribbon.  But it was enough to bring me to tears.  It has been so long since Mom has participated in holidays, the fact that I knew she actually made this has made it so special. 

Sometimes it just the little things that make a day special - like a small gesture from an angel.   I hope you all had a blessed day and have some angels in your life.

Faalalala

I feel a little more Christmassy now.  Attending the performance of the Nutcracker Ballet was a great idea.  I went with my friend Teri and her Mom.  We had some special little girl's in the performance.

The youngest was one of the mice and later a dancing gingerbread.  Her sister was one of the toy soldiers.  They looked adorable and did a fantastic job. 

I was impressed with the whole production.  Very professional and well done.  And some of those ballerina's were just amazing.  Not bad for a small little town.


Before the performance started we did a little shopping in downtown Sackville.  I found this great little carrier.  It looks perfect for when you have to take treats somewhere this time of year.

When I got home I discovered the beautiful pointsettia garden (in the first photo) had been delivered.   And one of Mom's Home Care workers stopped by and delivered this cute little mug with greenery.

He makes one for each of his clients, as many of them live alone and don't have a Christmas tree anymore so they enjoy the little wisps of real greenery.  It is so sweet and thoughtful. 

And the last (but certainly not least) bit of Christmas spirit I found this weekend . . .

A bottle of Chocolate Vodka Martini

Now that's some Christmas Spirit - Right . . . . .

I'm thinking garnishing the glass with a peppermint patty or maybe a mini candy cane

I'll let you know my review after I "test" it tonight. 

Half crazy and half done

Where did it go ?  The week - it has vanished.  It seems like I just posted Sunday night and POOF it is Thursday.   I had an email from a dear blog friend today who asked me if I had been run over by a giant SUV.  Lol   Nope, nothing that dramatic.  It was just one of those weeks that got away from me.

Well thats the half crazy part.  Now for the half done part.   Some of my regular "hooker" readers may want to sit down before they continue reading.  It's for your own safety.

I have finished the binding on 2 of the 4 little rugs . . . . . . . .  I know - it is SHOCKING !

Two rugs bound in one night.  I can hardly believe it myself.  I finished the edges Deanne style and it went by quickly - plus the rugs are smallish.

Still on the snowman theme - today was Mom's adult day care.  They usually make some kind of craft while they are there.  Today she came home with this cute painted glass snowman.

The staff and volunteers at this program are angels.   I doubt I would have the patience to make a craft with 12 alzheimers patients. 



Now I'm off to catch up on what you have all been doing all week. 

Flying by the seat of my pants

Buckle up boys and girls ---  It's gonna be one of those weeks.

Most of the time we function on a fairly regimented routine at home.  With me working and Mom's care, a schedule is a lifeline.  And 99% of the time it works like a charm.   But this is the week that 1% creeps in and the whole system goes into chaos.

It is only Tuesday and I am officially "Flying by the seat of my pants".

The 3rd week of the month is typically meeting-heavy at work but on top of that our municipality is hosting a conference for about 90 delegates from around the province.   I am on the host committee so having a few things left to organize and confirm before they arrive tomorrow.   And in between helping out and attending the conference I still have to review the 90+ page document for this weeks Council meeting.    Add in photography class tonight and Millie's groomers appointment (which coincidentally overlap - not sure whats gonna happen there)

Oh, and the icing on the cake --- Auntie has had an injury.  Details are sketchy at best.  (she lies to me about stuff like this and I am forced to investigate and interrogate until I am satisfied)   

I had to work late last night but I called home after supper to check in.  She sounded funny but I thought maybe Mom was giving her a bit of a hard time so I let it go.  When I arrived home several hours later she was as growly as a bear.  Later as she got up to get a cup of tea I noticed she was holding herself a little funny and walking kind of slow.  So the interrogation began....

So, what I think happend (still not 100% sure) is that she tripped/slipped in the kitchen and fell hard against the kitchen sink, landing on her ribs.   I can tell when she moves she is having pain but remember - she lies!  (Just because she doesn't want me to worry - but guessing makes it worse) She knows if she tells me the truth I will have a fit and take her to the hospital.  And to her - that is a fate worse than death.   So in between everything else I will have to keep an eye on it. 

It always seems like when I have extra work committments - something happens.  I'm NOT saying she does it on purpose BUT it is an interesting coincidence.  Hmmmmmm.   OK really I know its not on purpose.

I really can't wait for this week to end.  Friday is our corporate Golf Tournament.  More about that later but I think I will be taking out some frustration on those little balls.

Todays Happy List

Yes, today is a happy day.  And none too soon, as yesterday I found myself having a little pity party.  BUT I am over it. 

My list for today:

#1 - I woke to bright sunshine and warm breezes.  Not a cloud in the sky actually.  And no humidity so my hair no longer looks like a crazed poodle.  The past 2 days I looked like some crazy science experiment gone wrong.  Like - stick your finger in this socket and see what happens!  lol

#2 - As I was reading the blogs over my morning coffee I discovered I won the giveaway from Teri at White Sheep Farm blog.  Yippee and the prize is WOOL.  My favorite thing!  She had such a generous giveaway with 3 winners.  (Shhhh, Lauren won too)

#3 - The air conditioner at work was fixed today.  It was getting a tad bit uncomfortable the past few days but we are nice and cool again now.

#4 - The AWOL handyman appeared out of the blue this morning.  He arrived to mow the lawn.  Boy, did he get a surprise when he discovered I had hired someone else to do it last week.  It was a field.  You could have almost lost Millie in the weeds.  Apparently he had hurt his neck and was sick for over 3 weeks.  (Not sure why he couldn't use the phone - but whatever)  He left with a new list of chores  (hahaha)

#5 - Auntie called me around 10am to say the Roofers had arrived.  YIPPEE........  I was home at noon and they are moving right along and I am so impressed with them.  They are even cleaning up as they go.  One side is already stripped and 3/4 replaced at 1pm.   The one downside to this is that Mom and the dog are both having nervous breakdowns over the banging and the confusion. 

#6 - Today is a HomeCare day so it is the VON nurse that will have to deal with them.  (Again Hahahaha)

So, what is on your happy list today?

A Good Friday (oh, and don't burn the calamari)

I hope you all had a wonderful Good Friday.  We certainly did.   The sun was shining and it seems that everyone in the house woke up on the right side of the bed.  Nice !

I prepared my World Famous eggs benedict with smoked salmon for brunch.  We had a few visitors pop in, including one of Mom's previous home-care workers.  He hasn't been assigned to us for months, yet he never misses stopping in on special occasions with a little treat for Mom.  He had a little easter bag filled with home-made fudge.

Isn't that sweet??  You can tell the difference between those that just do their job and those that genuinely  care about their patients.

 The evening ended with a great gathering at a friends house.  It's been awhile since I've been out to howl !  LOL

OK, there wasn't really any howling but we did have a great time.  And the bracelet was the star attraction.  I think every girl there wore it for awhile.  So I would say it passed the test as a "statement piece".

My invitation for this party had a notation at the bottom  "Don't burn the calamari".  So I should tell you about the last time I was invited to this house.   When I arrived Teri was just breading a bunch a calamari with cajun spices.  She dropped it in the deep fryer and then took me to see the recent renovations they made made to the hall and bathroom.

We got chatty and completely forgot about the deep fryer until we smelled something......Bad.  We ran to the kitchen (everyone else was completely absorbed in the hockey game on TV and didn't notice - or were too lazy to get up)    So, when you completely BURN spicy calamari ---- the smell is like nothing you have ever experienced.  Think dead decomposing skunk times 100.

We opened a few windows, cleaned up and started again.  It seemed like that was the end of it.......until it was time to go home.  The second we got outside in the air, we could smell it again.  The odor had completely absorbed into the fabric of my shirt. 

It was the dead of winter and I could hardly stand the drive home.  I had all 4 windows of the car down and I was gagging from the smell and my eyes were watering.  Freezing to death in the cold was a more appealing option than being trapped in a car with that smell.  
It was a smell like no other and it seemed to have a life of its own.  So last night the party was calamari-free.  Spending a few hours with good friends was just what I needed and was a perfect way to end a great day and kick off a long weekend.

It is another sunny spring day here and I am going to a Bird House sale.  You can read about it here.

Party Time

Today is Mom's birthday.  I invited several of her friends to supper

at a small family restaurant in a nearby town.

I wasn't very good at getting pictures of everyone but here are a few

I called ahead and got the little private side room because it is

less confusing for Mom.  She was in a good mood today

so we had a great time.

This is Mom and her best friend Alice (middle).  Alice still takes Mom

out for a little drive every Friday afternoon.  She is an angel.

They brought a cake to the table and sang to her.  I didn't get a picture but it was

a giant chocolate cake with boiled icing. 

I didn't really need to order a 2nd cake but I did get one for home too.  I invited everyone

back to the house for tea.

It was a good night.  Here is a pic of me and Mom with her cake.  As you can see, by this point she was tired and not in the mood for a photo session.  We couldn't coax a smile out of her at all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

Sunday Ramblings

I love Sunday mornings.  It is my favorite part of the week.  I get to relax and wind down and just be which is a rarity around here.

I found this picture I had taken this summer on the beach at high tide.  I find it so peaceful and relaxing to watch the water come in over the rocks.  It is a good depiction of how I feel on Sunday mornings.

Millie and I get up early and have the house to ourselves for a few hours.  This morning we cuddled up on the sofa and I enjoyed a few cups of coffee and actually read for awhile.  I don't get much opportunity for a quiet reading time.  I tried this new coffee too - yumm

Eventually the Golden Girls woke up and it was back to reality.  Chores, chores, chores.  I stripped and washed all the beds and did the rest of the laundry.  I got Mom in the bathtub without incident and her feet are looking almost perfect.  I bought her some ridiculously expensive "circulation" socks, plus she has been getting lots of foot rubs (which is a big deal because I hate touching other peoples feet!)

Then about mid afternoon there was a knock on the door.  It was one of Mom's original home-care workers.  If you remember I blogged about him just before Christmas because he arrived with a little Christmas present for Mom.  Today he had a little bag of homemade fudge all decorated with hearts for Valentines Day.  He hasn't been assigned to us since Thanksgiving but he still visits his old clients occasionally.  Isn't it sweet to know that there are such thoughtful and caring people doing Home-care??    He was spending his Sunday afternoon doing the deliveries.  Sweet!!

The rest of the afternoon I spent flipping through 2 magazines about my 2 favorite things --- hooking and cooking

Although I didn't try any new recipes for supper we did enjoy stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.   Then I popped into Corinnes for a little visit and a cup of tea.  She had dyed some new wool, so of course I had to check it out. Now for a perfect end to a great Sunday, its time to hook a little.

Here is the latest shot of the crazy square rug.  I left the little bit of the dark plum in for comparison but I like the lighter background.  I'll pull out the dark tonight and replace.  It doesn't show well in this photo but the new background color is Dorr celery - a very pale light yellowish green.

If today is an indication, the start of a new week is looking promising.

Happy things

Despite a few bumps in the road this week, there have been lots of happy things to report.  One of those things is all of you.  Your comments and emails have been wonderful and it reminds me of how important friends are - near or far. 

Another happy thing is looking out the upstairs windows onto a bare (almost) snow free roof.  It may not seem like much but it really made me happy.  And I hope I don't jinx it - but it hasn't snowed a flake since Tuesday.  That makes me REALLY happy!

Then a family friend arrived at the door with a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips.  So springy and cheery.  I keep them on the kitchen table so they are the first thing I see when I walk in the door.

And last night was the event in honor of my friend who died of cancer.  His sister organizes the event to raise money for the Palliative Care unit at the hospital.  Last night over $4500 was raised and I am thrilled to say my hooked rug donation to the silent auction raised $205.   The only other thing at the auction that raised more money was a hockey jersey actually worn and signed by Sidney Crosby.  So considered the hockey fans around here I am very pleased.

I am also happy that Mom's swelling is down a bit more.  Still not back to normal but it isn't getting any worse so that's great! 

And no post on happiness would be complete without a  mention of sweet Millie.  She always makes me happy.

I hope you are all having a happy day too.

Quick Update

First, thank you all so much for your messages and concern.  I checked her again at lunch time and the swelling is down to about half what it was and the bright purple discoloration is fading a bit.  So, some improvement. 

I did call 811 which is a NS Health line that connects you to a nurse.  Her advice was to continue what we are doing and monitor and keep pumping her with fluids to try and flush her system.  Unless things take a dramatic turn, I am not doing the ER thing again.  I softened the actual experience in my last post.  It was enough to make your hair curl!

Another positive - we found a man to shovel the kitchen/pantry roof.  He came this morning and did a great job.  It cost $75 but was worth it for our peace of mind.  He even took up a bag of salt and ice melt and sprinkled it along the eaves.  One less thing on my mind.  YIPPEE

Downhill

Warning: Big rant ahead.  One of the difficult things about Alzheimers - as a caregiver - is that Mom cannot tell us when something is wrong.  Unless the symptoms are glaringly obvious we just have to wing it.

Last night as I was putting her pyjamas on I noticed an issue with her feet and ankles.  We put her to bed with her feet on a pillow and hoped that the morning would be better.  It wasn't .  And of course you question yourself all night - Am I doing the right thing? Should I bundle her up in the middle of the night and head to the ER? etc etc.

So after a restless sleep I checked her this morning and they were still the same.  I called her family doctors office and explained and it was suggested we go to the ER.  Now spending any amount of time in a waiting room with an alzheimers patient is no fun.  They don't understand, you can't reason with them and when they get restless there isn't much you can do.

When we arrived at the ER the waiting room was full, except for 3 empty chairs.  We waited and waited while more people came in. We waited 6 hours.   Six hours with alzheimers is more like 24 hours.  We hadn't eaten all day and mom hadn't taken her pills.  Within the 2nd hour the waiting room was now standing room only.  If you left your chair - you lost it.  So that meant we couldn't even go to the washroom.  And I couldn't get up and leave her as there was not one person in that room that looked responsible enough to leave Mom with for 5 minutes.  Seriously....it was the shallow end of the gene pool in there.

After 6 hours of waiting we still had not seen a doctor.  I had enough.  A wicked headache had taken hold and I just couldn't control Mom anymore.  We left and came home.  There were still 4 people in the waiting room who had been there longer than us.  There was an 89 year old man slumped over in a wheelchair who had been there, in that position, for 3 hours.   It was disgusting.

Neighbors

I have spent a lot of time today thinking about neighbors.  I still live on the same street I grew up in.  It is an older neighborhood and although it has changed somewhat over the years, I am blessed that we have several wonderful families who have lived around us for years.

It is a group of people who still help each other.  I know whenever our family has been touched by serious illness or death, the neighbors have rallied behind us.  A few are always on hand if we have a last minute emergency to come over and watch Mom for a few hours etc.

This morning as I sat down with my morning coffee and the newspaper I read a story that sickened me.  A  66 year old woman from Toronto with dementia wandered outside in the night and eventually was found dead in a driveway.  You can read the story here.

This alone is sad, however reports say that neighbors heard her screams and nobody - not one person - called 911 or even bothered to investigate on their own.   I find this so disturbing.  I cannot imagine the grief that her family is feeling right now.  And also I cannot imagine how these neighbors must be feeling. 

Do you know your neighbors?

Up with the crows

A new year, a new start - and I didn't want to waste any time.  All I could think of was getting all the Christmas stuff put away.  By 9:00am I had a roast in the oven, the tree un-decorated and all the traces of the holidays packed in boxes and returned to the basement.  YAY!  I have been ready to do that for days, but apparently if you put things away before January 1 - the world will come to an end!  (Well - according to Auntie anyway)  LOL

At 9:15 the phone rang.  It was my former sister in-law from Montreal.  (Yes, if you are scratching your head - I am technically an only child but I have 2 honorary sisters and 4 brothers.  Their parents and my family grew up together.  After moving to Montreal and having 6 kids they continued to spend every summer at the beach with us -- from July 1 to Sept. 1.  We grew up together and are very close. And when the 6 introduce me to their friends they say "our little sister" and I introduce them as my brothers and sisters)

But I digress.....even though big brother Tom traded in Marty for a new model - she is still family to me! The first thing she said was "I bet you have everything put away".  LOL  She knows me so well!!  We had a good long catch-up call. 

Auntie and Mom slept in until about 10 so they had a surprise that all the work was done.  Well, except for vacuuming up the 10 pounds of tree needles left on the floor because I didn't want to wake them.   I had a big laugh when Mom came downstairs.  I was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her and let out a big, animated Happy New Year!   She took one look at me, and turned around and started back up the stairs!!!  You should have seen the look on her face ---"I'm not going down there with that looney woman."    I actually had to coax her back downstairs.  It was pretty funny.

So, thus far 2011 has been good!  Now that the house is back in order I feel like hooking more.  Maybe I will get a rug finished tonight.

And before I forget, I want to thank everyone for the wonderful comments last night.  I have read them over and over.  They mean so much to me.
Kim

Things I have learned this year

I find it a little hard to believe that another year has come and gone.  It has had its ups and downs, but thankfully more of the ups!

I thought I would take a few moments and share some of the things I have learned this year.   I wish that I could add "Patience" to the top of my list but that would be a lie.  However I would say the "ability to adapt" has been a gift.  From a caregivers point of view it is the most valuable tool.  A couple of years ago barely a day passed that didn't involve tears.  I was trying to make Mom's disease fit into my life.  Eventually I learned that I needed to adapt my life to fit Mom's disease and things are going much smoother.  There have been some bumps in the road but overall we are coping.  

Everyday is different.  What worked like a charm yesterday could be a flaming disaster today.  But I have learned to roll with it.  And a dark and twisty sense of humour doesn't hurt.

I have also learned that some things can wait.  My house isn't always as clean and tidy as it should be, and sometimes I miss a deadline and I don't get to spend as much time with my friends as I would like but for now this is where I have to be.

And most importantly I have learned that you can develop the most wonderful, caring, supportive friendships with people you have never met face to face or ever have heard their voice but they become a part of what holds you up.

Happy New Year to all.

Odds and Ends

Lots of news today.  I seem to be exceptionally chatty lately.  First we are in the middle of another storm.  We are having very weird weather for December.  Just as I got up this morning, around 7am the power went out again.  Another morning of looking through the closet with a flashlight and trying to "put on a face" by balancing a flashlight on a book! Heavy rain and high winds knocked down some trees into power lines.  Luckily it was restored by 10:30 this morning.

But the storm surge along the coast is the real problem. My boss got a call first thing this morning that several cottages near his were flooding.  His cottage is about 20 minutes from mine.  He decided to go check it out.  He came back a few hours later and stuck his head in my office.  He said "You should go check and make sure you still have a cottage".   Seriously??  He said it was bad down his lane.  Cottages completely surrounded by water and large waves crashing up against those closest to the shore.  I decided that there was nothing I could do, so I guess I would rather not see it and be sick about it.  Luckily our cottage is a bit sheltered near the river and we are up high on a bank.  So it would be almost impossible for us to flood, but the storm surge takes away parts of my bank each time. 

These are some pictures I borrowed from other friends who did venture out today.

These locations are about 10 minutes from my place.

  The news report tonight says that the storm system is expected to linger over us for another 18 hours.  I am keeping the furnace up high tonight just in case we lose power again.

Today was Mom's home care.  We had Ruth.  She is one of our regulars and we all love her. We haven't had her for awhile.  We missed her and I thought Mom would perk up when she saw her  but Mom wasn't in a very good mood day and absolutely refused to hug Ruth and wish her Merry Christmas.   Most days she gets excited when Ruth "visits".  But everyday is different, but Auntie and I feel more comfortable when we get one the "regular" workers.  They know all Mom's little signals and know how to respond.    Apparently the schedulers are trying to mix it up so people don't get too attached to their care-takers.  I think that is totally stupid, but I supposed we should be grateful for the help we get.

Last night when I got home I had a package in the mail.  A little gift made for me from a sweet blog friend all the way from California.    (You know who you are!) These little trees  made my day a little brighter.

And saving the best for last.........as of 4:30 this afternoon I am on vacation!!!!  Now lets hope we don't blow away or float down the street!